The Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapakse, who inherits the 'Mahinda Chinthanaya' from family, seeks cabinet approval tomorrow (24) evening to pocket Rs. 518.9 million from a tender to purchase 15 rubber tired gantry cranes for Sri Lanka Ports Authority.
There were serious doubts over the deal from the moment the approval was obtained for the cabinet paper in this regard. The selected contractor was provided privileges violating the international tender procedures. Lanka-e-News suspects that there is an effort to pocket a handsome sum of US $ 4,850,419 by few individuals.
The cabinet paper numbered 08/0627/312/016 TBR to purchase 15 rubber tired gantry cranes was tabled by the Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapakse on 2008 March 31. The tender period was also to close on that day.
The cabinet paper numbered 08/0627/312/016 TBR to purchase 15 rubber tired gantry cranes was tabled by the Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapakse on 2008 March 31. The tender period was also to close on that day.
The tender period had been passed
Dawson Heavy Industries and Construction Ltd. of South Korea, IMPSA of Malaysia, SDNBHD, Regine Cranes and Plant of Italy, Kalmar Industries of Finland and Shanghai Shenhua Port Machinery of China bid to supply the cranes. The Shanghai Shenhua Port Machinery of China that had bid US $ 15,880,106 (RS. 1.699 billion) was selected.
A five member tender evaluation committee chaired by ports chief engineer H.D.H. Samarasinghe reported to the Chairman of the tender board of the Ministry appointed by the cabinet that the selected Chinese company had not fulfilled 18 necessities.
The tender period had been passed when the cabinet paper submitted by the Minister Chamal Rajapakse on March 31 was tabled on Apri 02. But the cabinet approved providing the tender to the Chinese company without considering the above facts. Acting Cabinet Secretary G. Hapangama informed the Secretary of the Ministry of Ports and Aviation on 2008 April 10 that the cabinet approved offering the tender to the lowest bidder Shanghai Shenhua Port Machinery of China.
After that, on the request of the Ports Authority, the tender period was extended until 2008 May 31. P.D. Preethi Fernando, the Purchasing Officer of the port informed it to the Chinese company in writing. The period was extended adding US $ 2,858,419 to the initial bid. Accordingly, the initial bid of US $ 15.8 million rose to US $ 18.7 million. Citing the appreciation of Chinese currency in relevance to US dollar and the rise of the price of iron, the Chinese company finally raised the bid to US $ 20,730,525. It was Rs. 518.9 million higher than the initial bid.
According to normal practice, the Ports Authority should have called for the tender again if the tender period had passed. All the bidders were to be called for resubmitting their bids.
Ports Protection Front, writing a letter to the Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapakse, points out that the tender for purchasing 15 cranes violated the international tender procedures. It further accuses that the tender procedures of the Ports Authority and the Ministry of Ports and Aviation have also been violated. They question from the Minister if letting a tender period to pass and allowing the selected bidder to raise the bid later would not amount to corruption.
A five member tender evaluation committee chaired by ports chief engineer H.D.H. Samarasinghe reported to the Chairman of the tender board of the Ministry appointed by the cabinet that the selected Chinese company had not fulfilled 18 necessities.
The tender period had been passed when the cabinet paper submitted by the Minister Chamal Rajapakse on March 31 was tabled on Apri 02. But the cabinet approved providing the tender to the Chinese company without considering the above facts. Acting Cabinet Secretary G. Hapangama informed the Secretary of the Ministry of Ports and Aviation on 2008 April 10 that the cabinet approved offering the tender to the lowest bidder Shanghai Shenhua Port Machinery of China.
After that, on the request of the Ports Authority, the tender period was extended until 2008 May 31. P.D. Preethi Fernando, the Purchasing Officer of the port informed it to the Chinese company in writing. The period was extended adding US $ 2,858,419 to the initial bid. Accordingly, the initial bid of US $ 15.8 million rose to US $ 18.7 million. Citing the appreciation of Chinese currency in relevance to US dollar and the rise of the price of iron, the Chinese company finally raised the bid to US $ 20,730,525. It was Rs. 518.9 million higher than the initial bid.
According to normal practice, the Ports Authority should have called for the tender again if the tender period had passed. All the bidders were to be called for resubmitting their bids.
Ports Protection Front, writing a letter to the Minister of Ports and Aviation Chamal Rajapakse, points out that the tender for purchasing 15 cranes violated the international tender procedures. It further accuses that the tender procedures of the Ports Authority and the Ministry of Ports and Aviation have also been violated. They question from the Minister if letting a tender period to pass and allowing the selected bidder to raise the bid later would not amount to corruption.
1 comment:
The Biggest "FLOATING" scandal in the history of srilanka!
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